‘Why Reg Allen had Stayed’
This article (partial) appeared in ‘The Star’ in 1949:
‘The girl who does not want Reg Allen, the Queen’s Park Rangers goalkeeper, to transfer to the North, was at home today knitting him a pair of socks.
When I met her, I could well understand why for her sake, Reg Allen has turned down offers from Middlesbrough and Manchester United.
The couple are not yet officially engaged, but I think they will be after Monday. Reg then is going to Harrow to talk to Jean’s father, the Rev. J. L. Webb, a Methodist minister, and a former missionary in Jamaica – Jean was born there – who loves football.
Mr Webb goes with Jean to watch Reg Allen play whenever he can: “I think he’s a grand goalkeeper,” he said.
It was tennis, however, which introduced Jean and Reg. They met about a year ago on the court. Since then, Jean has been a keen fan of Queen’s Park Rangers.’
And this from the ‘Bayswater Chronicle’ is dated 15th July 1949:
‘On Sunday, Reg Allen, the Queen’s Park Rangers goalkeeper – the man who has thrilled thousands of fans with his acrobatics between the sticks, married the girl who kept him in the team.
She is 22-year-old Miss Jean Webb, a dentist’s receptionist in North Harrow and the daughter of the Reverend and Mrs Leslie Webb of Radnor Road, Harrow.
He wanted to remain near her, so he turned down offers by First Division Clubs, Middlesbrough and Manchester United.
The ceremony – a quiet affair – took place in the Methodist Church, Weldon Crescent.
The couple were married by special licence and even the Club headquarters in Loftus Road were kept in the dark until the last moment – but early enough for them to solve one of Allen’s major problems.
The Club found them a flat in Kenton.’
Bernard Joy wrote in February 1950 that Reg had been on the transfer list since before Christmas and had turned down an offer to go to a Northern Second Division club. The fee offered was a five-figure one and was acceptable to Rangers.
When the proposal was put to Reg, he said that he wanted to talk it over with his wife and it was understood that his refusal was due to their unwillingness to leave London.
However, in June later that year, Reg was transferred to Manchester United for £11,000, which at the time, was a record fee for a goalkeeper.
Steve Russell
(Thanks to Colin Woodley for his assistance)